This easy applesauce muffin recipe is the only one you’ll need. It yields muffins that are soft, moist, and packed with applesauce flavor. Perfect for Fall or anytime of the year!
Recipe updated on March 28, 2020.
Reasons why this is The Best Applesauce Muffins Recipe Ever:
- Easy to make
- Comes together in one bowl
- Perfectly spiced and sweetened
- Packed with flavor
- Uses a whole cup and a half of applesauce!
If you love baking with applesauce or if you just love applesauce in general, you definitely need to try these! You won’t be disappointed.
Sweetened Applesauce vs. Unsweetened Applesauce
Sweetened applesauce is usually sweetened with corn syrup. This recipe calls for unsweetened applesauce but if you only have the sweetened kind on hand I recommend that you reduce the granulated sugar to 1/3 cup and the brown sugar to 1/4 cup, packed.
Applesauce Muffins with Oil
I didn’t use butter for this recipe because I didn’t want it overpowering the applesauce and also, oil provides more moisture.
Plus, have you ever tried applesauce muffins with coconut oil?! One of the best and most underrated flavor combinations, hands down. If you have coconut oil on hand please do give it a try in this recipe but if you don’t, plain ole vegetable will work too.
Since these muffins contain no butter, no milk, and no dairy in general, they’re dairy-free! Hooray!
Why so much baking soda?
I know that there is an alarming amount of baking soda in this recipe however it is the perfect amount. Don’t worry, the muffins don’t turn out tasting like baking soda at all!
Remember, both the applesauce and brown sugar are acidic ingredients so therefore they are able to neutralize it, resulting in perfectly risen muffins without a metallic aftertaste.
Why are the insides of the muffins pink?
Do not be frightened! The muffins may appear pink on the inside because of the applesauce. I’m not exactly sure how or why this happens but I believe that it’s due to skin being left on some of the apples causing the applesauce to turn pink when cooked or baked. Or it could just be a natural reaction that happens when the applesauce is out in the open for a long time.
Whatever the reason may be, rest assured that the muffins are perfectly safe to eat.
This recipe uses both sugars because applesauce muffins with brown sugar are really delicious. Trust me, that tiny bit of molasses from the brown sugar does wonders for the flavor in this recipe.
For even more flavor these muffins are spiced with a healthy dose of cinnamon and some nutmeg. It’s only right for muffins with applesauce to have some spice.
And by the way they taste so amazing warm! They smell like Fall but delicious recipes like this one are great all year round.
More Applesauce Muffin Recipes:
Mini Applesauce Muffins
The bite-sized version of this recipe!
Pumpkin Applesauce Muffins
An amazing flavor combo you have to try!
Sour Cream Applesauce Muffins
These muffins are soft, rich, and flavorful thanks to the sour cream.
Healthy Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins
Whole wheat, refined sugar-free, dairy-free, and low in fat.
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Best Applesauce Muffins Recipe
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 tablespoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 eggs (room temp if using coconut oil)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Line muffin pan with muffins liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl combine both sugars, baking soda, spices, and salt.
- Add the applesauce and mix well (mixture should be completely smooth).
- Beat in the oil, eggs, and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour and mix until incorporated. Do not over mix!
- Scoop the batter into the muffin pan filling the cups to the top.
- Bake for 20 – 21 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Cool in pan 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack (or large plate if you don't have a rack) to continue cooling.
- Serve warm or cooled completely.
Notes
- Can I use sweetened applesauce? Yes, simply reduce the granulated sugar to 1/3 cup and the brown sugar to 1/4 cup, packed.
- Why do the eggs need to be at room temperature if I'm using coconut oil? This is so that the oil does not revert to its solidified state. Solid coconut oil tends to run out of the batter during baking and pool at the bottom of the muffins. I learned this from experience!
- Can I replace the oil with extra applesauce? You can replace half of the oil with extra applesauce. Replacing all of the oil yields dry muffins with a gummy texture. I've tested it myself.
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92 comments
I think you mean 1/2 Tsp cinnamon and baking soda…
Lol, no. It’s not a typo. Both are the perfect amount. Give the recipe a try. ? You’ll be pleasantly surprised!
I made this recipe for my grandchildren and they love it!Thank you for sharing ??
Yay! ? Happy to hear that. Thanks for rating and reviewing!
Can i use extra applesauce instead of the oil?
I think you can but the texture may not be the same. If you do try it let me know how it turns out!
Could these go in a doughnut pan.
Yes, but the bake time needed will most likely be much less so keep an eye on them!
Thank you for the recipe. I added some diced apples and pear and cranberries, they are in the oven now. Also you say it’s dairy free, it’s not because of the eggs ?
You’re very welcome, Denise! Wow, great additions! But eggs are not dairy. “The definition of dairy includes foods produced from the milk of mammals, such as cows and goats.”
Love these! I didn’t want 200 calories per muffin so I cut the white sugar to 1/4 of a cup and half of the oil I substituted more applesauce. Added some pumpkin pie spice and made smaller muffins. They turned out yummy!
I’ve been meaning to try these with less oil and more applesauce. Thanks for letting me know! I’m so glad you like them!
I used splenda, coconut sugar, half white whole wheat flour and added one apple chopped. Delicious.
Awesome! Love this idea; healthier but still tasty. Thanks for the 5-star review, Leanne.
If you double the recipe, can you make into a bread?
No need to double it (unless you want 2 loaves). Make the recipe as is, pour the batter into a 9×5 inch loaf pan, and bake for about 45 – 50 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely (or almost completely if you’d prefer it warm) before slicing.
These are my favorite muffins! Thank You so much for the recipe. Ive been looking for it for a while!
You’re very welcome, Tess! I’m so happy to hear that they are your favorite. ? Be sure to save the recipe so that you don’t lose it again!
I also am making them at the beginning of Feb, just had to have a giggle when I read that! The kids are home from university for the weekend, and I’m making some treats for them to take back. I hope they are as good as I’ve read!:)
Lol, I hope you and your kids enjoy them. ? Let me know what you think!
Passed the 2 year old test. Very moist and full of flavor. Definitely will be making again.
Yay! That makes me so happy! So glad you’ll be making them again.
This is a keeper. Wonderful texture and flavor.
Thank you, Sue!
[…] Full Directions Here. […]
These were fun and easy to make. I liked the consistensy of the mix. I also added a sugar free apple cider packet to the mix for fun!
That sounds delicious! Thanks for trying my recipe, Ciara. Glad you like it.
Will try soon.lokks great
Thank you! Let me know how it turns out.
I love this recipe. I’ve made these muffins more times than I can count. I always reduce the sugars to 1/4 cup. I also add walnuts. I want to ask if I can substitute the white flour with oar flour?
Oh, wow. So glad you like them this much! I believe you can but not all of it. Oat flour is gluten free and significantly lighter than all-purpose flour. I recommend only replacing half and see how it goes.
Hi Crystal!
I just made this muffin recipe for breakfast they were great, very tasty, I love any thing with cinnamon. I used gluten free flour, I had to adjust the time from 20 minutes to 30 minutes. I think next time i’ll use coconut sugar and i’ll also add some raisins and nuts…what do you think? Thank you for sharing!
Ana
Same! I love cinnamon. Wow, interesting. I’ll make a note of that. Yes, you can definitely use coconut sugar instead of brown sugar but I would still use the white sugar because coconut sugar does have a different flavor and it may change the color and texture of the muffins. Raisins and nuts are great add-ins! Chopped apples would be tasty too. I’m really glad you like my recipe, Ana. Thanks so much for leaving a review.
Hello, I would like to make my muffins with Gluten free Aswell can I add cranberries?
Yes, I believe you can use gluten free flour and you definitely can add cranberries. Enjoy!
Hello Crystal, I tried the Best Applesauce Muffins Recipe and it rates an A+ in my book! I thought you might want to try an added flavor to the recipe. I received a gift of fresh mango preserves from a friend, so I decided to combine it with the applesauce. The first time, I used 1 cup applesauce and 1/2 cup mango preserves. The second time, I used 1 cup mango preserves and 1/2 cup applesauce. Delicious both ways! I am sure this recipe is delicious without any changes and it will be a permanent addition to my favorites. Thanks for sharing!
Yay! I’m happy those substitutions worked out for you. Sounds tasty! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review. I’m glad you think my recipe is a keeper.
Commercially processed sweetened applesauce can contain any number of artificial sweeteners, not just high-fructose corn syrup (renamed “corn syrup” during the early 2010s). I’ve seen dextrose, maltodextrin and sucralose (Splenda) in the ingredients lists, and you’re absolutely correct — it’s an insult to apples! I make mine from scratch, it’s so easy (4 ingredients) and tastes way better.
The muffins turned out better than expected, awesome cooking hack!
Wow. I didn’t know that. I’ve never tried making my own before. I’ll give it a go soon. Well I’m glad they exceeded your expectations! Thank you for giving this recipe a 5-star rating.
1/2 “tablespoon” of baking soda ?? Recheck this.
rename this “Salt Muffins” Soooo salty, no one took more than 1 bite and spit that out.
The absolute worst.
Hmm, that doesn’t sound right. You most likely did something wrong. They shouldn’t be salty at all.
1/2 tablespoon is equal to 1.5 teaspoons. Doesn’t sound too much to me.
It’s because it’s very unusual for a muffin recipe to have this much baking soda.
Just did these muffins but subtituted the following:
– all sugar by coconut sugar
– 1/2 tablespoon of baking soda by 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
– all white flour by half white flour, half oat flour
– added raisins
They are delicious!
I’m glad those substitutions worked out for you, Joana! Thanks so much for rating my recipe and leaving a review.
So moist and delicious. My daughter gobbled them up! Just the right amount of spice. I topped some with chocolate chips and some with pecans. Thank you for this yummy recipe! I am adding it to my +go-to” muffin list. Blessings!
Woohoo! Music to my ears. ? You’re very welcome, Jacqueline. Thank you so much for the 5-star rating.
Wow, these are absolutely delicious! So moist and fluffy! I will definitely be saving this recipe!
That’s so great to hear! Thanks so much for the review, Amy.
These are absolutely amazing!!! My daughter loves them! Quick question – what is the best way to store these/how long will they be good for?
Thank you so much! I’m happy she likes them. You can store them in an airtight container lined with paper towels because these muffins sweat a lot. Due to this, they keep for about 2 days so if you want them to last longer I highly recommend placing them in the fridge.
These came out great! Perfectly moist and not too sweet! Thanks!
Great! Thank you for sharing how it turned out for you.
Made mine with coconut oil…and the rest exactly as recipe is written. PERFECT!!!
Woohoo!! *happy dance* Thanks so much for leaving a comment to let me know.
Tasty Tasty! Thank-you. Recipes’ a KEEPER.
I got a bit of a baking soda after taste. Would they still rise as well if I cut the Baking Soda down a smidgen?
Yes, they would. I’m going to retest this recipe myself with less baking soda and hopefully make it even better than it already is. I’m happy you still liked the muffins! Thanks for leaving a comment, Shelley.
Wow, just made these and they are so easy to make and so delicious. I forgot to put the vanilla in but they don’t need it. The only other thing I did different is I put the oven up to 475 for the first five minutes which makes them rise really high.
Agreed but it’s just for a little added flavor. Sometimes I leave the vanilla out in other recipes too. Ou, I’ve never tried that before. They probably looked amazing! Thank you so much for leaving a comment.
Can I used sugar free sugar will it still taste good j********@hotmail.com
Emailed!
[…] the recipes are special in their own way. Using unsweetened applesauce instead of oil in baking can be an easy way to make your baked goods healthier. Plus it still keeps […]
They were very good and I felt I was being so healthy!
Lol, thanks!
Makes a good muffin with some tweaking for individual taste. I have to use my g.f flour blend. Used a heaping half teaspoon of cinnamon and that was plenty.I don’t make anything like this without adding at least a half cup of raisins or other fruit. Filled the cups really full and kept testing after 21 min. and ended up at 32 min. in the oven. G.F flour takes longer.
I thought I had enough apple sauce but I barely had a cup so I replaced the rest with one ripe banana. They were so delicious and will be my go to recipe from now on.
Smart thinking!